Remembering Quincy Jones And Roberta Flack Through Music In Acadiana

(KMDL-FM) If you happened to catch the recent telecast of the Academy Awards, there is no doubt that you were moved by that award show's "in Memoriam" segment. It was tough seeing the names of those performers we lost over the past 12 months. PASA, Performing Arts Serving Acadiana, will conduct its own version of an "in Memoriam" celebration on Friday when that organization presents a tribute to Quincy Jones and Roberta Flack.

But unlike the Academy Awards remembrance, this "tribute" will be much more lively and, in fact, a joyous celebration of those two musical icons. If you can't recall, we lost Quincy Jones in November of 2024. Roberta Flack passed away in February of 2025. But their music, their hits, their arrangements, and their talents will undoubtedly live forever.

The show, scheduled for this Friday, March 20, 2026, will feature internationally acclaimed jazz artist and local jazz performer Jill Butler and her Joyride Band.

The performance will be held at The Theater at Baranco. That auditorium is part of the Dr. Raphael A. Baranco Elementary School. For this PASA Performance, Jill Butler has configured Joyride to be a multi-piece ensemble with featured vocalists.

The evening will be an energetic and reflective "joyride" through the musical memories left behind by both Quincy Jones and Roberta Flack. Butler will also sprinkle in some of her own interpretations of their iconic hits, plus you will hear some original selections as well.

Get our free mobile app

Where Can You Get Tickets For Roberta Flack, Quincy Jones Tribute Show in Lafayette

Tickets for the evening's performance are available. Showtime is set for 7:30 in the historic Theater at Baranco.

Google Maps Google Streetview

Fans of the local music scene might recall Jill Butler and Joyride from their NXT Series performance with the Acadiana Center for the Arts in July of last year. Butler has also appeared on stage at Festival International in Lafayette.

Butler's debut album, Joyride, has already produced Top 40 Hits on the Smooth Jazz charts, and she has been a featured performer at the New Orleans Jazz Museum and on several Jazz and Smooth Jazz cruises.

15 Best Selling Louisiana Musicians of All Time

From Country to Pop, Rock and Roll to Hip Hop, Louisiana has some serious big hitters. When it comes to finding absolute accurate information on album sales for Louisiana musicians, it can be a bit tricky. That being said, we've done the digging and will note U.S. album sales, Global album sales, as well as digital sales where the information is available.

Gallery Credit: Michael Scott